The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to the field of Tympanoplasty and, more particularly, but not exclusively, to a device and a method for repairing a perforation in a Tympanic membrane.
Tympanoplasty is a surgical treatment for repairing a perforation in the tympanic membrane (commonly known as “eardrum”) and defects in one or more of the ossicular bones. Perforations in the eardrum may be the result of a birth defect, or may be attributed to ear/nose/throat infections, physical ear injury, exposure to high noise levels, aging, among other contributing factors.
Methods for repairing eardrum perforations and devices used in tympanoplastic surgery are known in the art.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,501,700 and 5,643,300 to Hirata relates to “an eardrum perforation patch and an eardrum undersurface scraper for application of the patch. The eardrum perforation patch comprises double plates connected together with a coupler and these elements are made of artificial material. The plates comprise a supporting piece and a closure piece. After being inserted into the tympanic perforation the closure piece pinches the perforation margin and it stays steadily in place until it changes to a new part of the tympanic membrane. The eardrum undersurface scraper comprises a shaft, a neck and a head with a blade edge. The neck is curved at an angle of more than 90 degrees, twisted and rotated, so that the blade edge gains access to target points behind the tympanic membrane and scrapes and entirely rakes out the mucosal barrier on the undersurface grafting bed of the tympanic membrane through the tympanic perforation. The combination of the eardrum perforation patch and the eardrum undersurface scraper is useful in repairing the tympanic perforation”.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,455 to Wilk et al. relate to “a device for repairing a tympanic membrane comprises a patch provided on one side with an adhesive layer, and an elongate tubular applicator member having a proximal end and a distal end. The patch is removably attached via suction to the distal end of the tubular applicator member so that the adhesive layer faces away from the elongate applicator member. The proximal end of the tubular applicator member is temporarily closed or sealed to maintain the suction force, thereby holding the tympanic patch to the distal end of the applicator tube while the tube is being inserted through the auditory canal. Upon a pressing of the patch against the ear drum so that the patch covers the perforation, the proximal end of the tube is released to pressurize the tube channel with ambient air. This pressurization releases the patch and allows it to adhere to the tympanic membrane”.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,641,651 to Card discloses “an ossicular replacement prosthesis is configured to have its tympanic membrane-facing end self-attached to a cartilage plug forced there against. Self-attachment is achieved either by a prosthesis projection penetrating the plug, a prosthesis portion enclosing at least part of the plug, or adhesive attachment between the plug and prosthesis. A cartilage punch is provided which removes a cartilage plug of uniform thickness from a patient's tragus, retains the plug after removal and then forcefully urges the plug against the prosthesis to effect self-attachment. The punch includes a reciprocatable annular cutting member and a stage surface. Tragal cartilage is inserted between the cutting member and the stage, and the cartilage plug is cut and retained in the cutting member by forcing the cutting member toward the stage to pierce the tragel cartilage. The prosthesis is then placed on the stage so that the retained cartilage plug can be forced thereagainst by again translating the cutting member toward the stage”.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,309,419 to de Juan, Jr. et al. discloses “a tympanic membrane prosthesis is provided that includes, in combination, a generally flat, planar membrane sized to overlay a tear or perforation in the tympanic membrane and having at least one preformed perforation, and at least one mechanical fixation device for fixing the membrane to the tympanic membrane of a patient. Each mechanical fixation device is a tack component including a sharp, piercing distal end, an enlarged proximal end and a shaft extending therebetween. A tack insertion device is provided to guide the tack to and through the tear covering membrane”.
Additional background art includes U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0151974, U.S. Pat. No. 5,254,133, China Patent No. CN2162943, and Korea Patent No.KR20080040516.